Time-controlling mechanism for type-writing machines, &amp;c.



C. DE L. RICE & L. D. BROUGHTON.

TIME GONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR TYPE WRITING MACHINES, 6:0.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 22, I909.

Patented Nov. 29,

W/T/VESSES 4 THE NoRRls PETERS co, wnsnmcrcw, n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES DE LOS RICE AND LYMAN D. BROUGI-ITON, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNORS TO UNDERWOOD AUTOMATIC TYPEWRITER PAY STATION COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented Nov. 29, 1910.

Application filed May 22, 1.909. Serial No. 497,606.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CHARLES DE Los Rica and LYMAN D. BROUGHTON, citizens of the United States, and both residing in the city of Hartford, county of Hartford, and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Time- Controlling Mechanism for Type-lVriting Machines, &c., of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to coin-operated, time-controlled devices for limiting the use of typewriting and other machines or ap paratuses, and is in the nature of an improvement upon the invention disclosed in United States application No. 451,391, dated September 2, 1908. Said application discloses a typewriting machine normally out of condition for use, and means whereby by depositing a coin and operating a lever, the

' machine is put into condition for use for a period limited by a clockwork; and at the termination of said period, the typewriter or other machine is automatically locked or returned to normal condition, in which it cannot be manipulated. Said application also discloses a locking arm which normally holds in efiective position the key-locking or line-locking bar of the Underwood typewriting machine, so as to prevent manipulation of the keys. Said arm can be turned to ineffective position by means of a lever after the deposit of a coin; and a latch connected to said lever is concomitantly withdrawn from a notch in a revoluble latching-wheel operated by a clockwork. The typewriter therefore remains in condition for manipulation until said latch, owing to the turning of said wheel, drops again into said notch or into another like notch in said wheel; whereupon the parts are returned to normal condition and the typewriter is again locked. Said latching wheel is shown connected to said clockwork by means of a pivoted pawl, which is automatically turned out of engagement with a ratchet of the clockwork at the termination of the period for which the machine is set; whereby the clock is permitted to run independently of the locking mechanism.

The principal object of the present invention is to avoid the necessity of having the put upon the main spring of the clock, and i no liability is incurred of interference with the proper operation of the clock. The latch which holds said locking arm out of use may be tripped by the clockwork, to permit said locking arm to move into effective position, at the same time the wheel is released from the clockwork and itself locked against rotation.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a time-controlled coin-operated device of the character clescribed, showing the positions of the parts at the approach of the completion of the half hour interval during which the typewriter may be operated; the typewriter looking arm being shown out of use, and the controlling wheel or head being rotated by the clockwork in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary elevation to illustrate the engagement of a projection on the revolving wheel or head with a tappet provided upon the latch to release the same. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but showing the tappet as having been vibrated on its pivotfrom the Fig. 2 position. Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation to illustrate the released position of the bar which looks the keys of the typewriting machine. Fig. 5 is an elevation partly in section, to show the typewriter keys locked and the revolving wheel or head as unclutched from the clockwork and locked against rotation. Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but showing the latch on the point of being released by the revolving head; a little further movement of the latter being sutficient to effect such release, whereby the parts move to the positions at Fig. 5. Fig. 7 shows the parts as having been immediately reset, to permit further operation of the typewriting machine.

The type keys 1 of the typewriting machine are mounted upon levers 2, which have hooks 3 beneath which normally lies a stop bar 4, Fig. 5. Said bar is supported on arms 5 rising from a rock-shaft 6 suitably mounted on the framework. The bar 4 forms part of a line-locking mechanism which locks the keys automatically at the completion of each line of writing in a well known manner, and it will be understood that it continues to perform its usual functions in the present case whenever the writing machine is put into condition for use by operation of the coin-controlled mechanism. In the present instance, use is made of the line-locking mechanism to put the typewriting machine normally out of condit on for operation; the locking bar 4 for this purpose being normally held in effectlve position by a projection 8 provided upon a locking arm 9, the latter carried 'upon a rock shaft 10 forming part of a coin and time controlled apparatus, and extending into a casing 11 which contains said apparatus. Normally the locking arm 9 is in its forward position, Fig. 5, to hold the locking bar 1 beneath the hooks 3 of the key levers, so that the keys cannot be manipulated. Upon the deposit of a coin, the locking arm 8 may be swung back to permit the locking bar 4'. to be swung back on the arms 5 by means of a spring 12, thereby freeing the keys and putting the machine into condition for manipulation. It will be understood, however, that the locking arm 9 remains in the full-line ineffective position (Fig. 1) during the usual vibrations of the locking bar 4 from full-line to dotted-line position, at the ends of the written lines, to perform its usual function of locking the keys.

The movement of the locking device 9 from dotted-line to full-line position to release the typewriter for use, is effected by a finger-piece 13, upon the operator depositing a coin 141 in a slot 15 formed in the top 16 of the casing 11. Before the coin is deposited, the finger piece 13 may rock idly, without having any effect on the machine; but the deposited coin serves temporarily to effect a connection for transmitting the movement of said finger-piece 13 to the general mechanism in the casing. Said fingerpiece 13 is fixed upon a rock shaft 17 and upon the inner end of the latter is secured an upstanding arm 18 having at its top a notch or lip 19, upon which the deposited coin 1 1 rests for the purpose of performing its temporary function aforesaid. Directly over said arm 18 and beneath the coin slot 15 is a coin-chute 20, in which the coin reposes while it rests upon said lip 19 of the arm 18. This chute serves as a holder or bearing for the coin, and enables the latter to effect the desired connection between the arm 18 and a lever 21 upon which said chute is formed or mounted. Said lever 21 is loosely mounted, preferably upon the shaft or axis 17. When the finger-piece 13 is turned in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 1,

it presses the coin and hence the chute 20, together with the lever 21, in the same direction. The reason that this movement of the lever 21 cannot be effected without the cooperation of the coin, is because the holder 20 is formed with an opening 22 in its face suflicient to permit the arm 19 to swing idly therethrough. The finger-piece 13 is normally held back by a spring 23, but after the deposit of a coin the finger-piece swings the lever 21, and during this stroke, a link 26, pivoted at its upper end to an arm 27 of the lever 21 and at its lower end to a horizontal lever or arm 28, serves to depress the latter about its fulcrum 29. This arm 28 controls the typewriter locking device 9. It will be seen that the shaft- 10, carrying said arm 9, is provided within the casing with an upright crank 30 having at its top a wrist 31, which is caused by a spring 32 to press against the end of the arm 28, the latter hence normally locking the arm 9 in the full line position at Fig. 5. hen, however, said arm 28 is swung down in the manner just described, the wrist 31 rides off from the end of the arm 28 and along a cam or beveled edge 33 thereon, so that the spring 32 is permitted to swing the locking arm 9 to ineffective position, thus releasing the typewriter for manipulation.

A spring 3% connected to the coin-controlled lever 21, 27 tends constantly to lift the arm 28 to normal position, as at Fig. 5; but said arm 28 is latched down in abnormal position (Fig. 1) by means of a latch 35 pivoted at 36. The period during which said arm 28 is latched down (and during which the typewriting machine is in condition for manipulation) is limited by a clockwork 37 A pin 28 projecting from the side of arm 28 normally occupies a notch or one of two notches 38 and 38 formed in a head or disk 18 which is mounted loosely upon an arbor 10 of the clockwork. At Fig. 5, the projection 28 is shown in normal position in one of the notches as 38; while at Fig. 1, it is shown as pulled down from the notch and held down by the latch 35.

After the finger-piece 13 has been turned to latch down the arm 28, said finger-piece may be released, and the spring 23 will return it to normal position, together with the arm 18 having the coin-support 19. The

coin-operated lever 21, 27 remains stationpawl 51 at the upstroke of said arm 28, whereby said pawl is withdrawn from the ratchet 52 (Fig. 5) to permit the clock to continue in operation while the typewriting machine is locked out of use.

An auxiliary lever or arm 55 pivoted at 56 upon the framework and geared at 57 to the arm 28, has a projection 58 to release the pawl 51; said pawl being released alternately by the main arm 28 and the auxiliary arm 55, to withdraw said pawl from the ratchet twice in each revolution of the head 48. The projections 28 and 58 therefore serve to disconnect the head 418 from the clockwork and to lock the head against accidental rotation, by reason of their engagement with the notches 38 and 38*. A similar pawl 51 having areleasing arm 51, may be pivoted at 51 upon the latch wheel head 48 diametrically opposite to the pawl 51, to be released alternately by the projections 28 58; the two pawls being released simultaneously at each operation. A draw-spring 59 may be connected between levers 28 and 55.

The arm 28 is provided with a shoulder 60, Fig. 6, and the latch 35 (pivoted at 36 upon the auxiliary arm 55) has preferably a roll 61 normally caught upon said shoulder, Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 7. A projection 62 provided upon the revolving head 48 strikes the cam edge 63 of a tappet 64, which is pivoted at 65 upon the latch 35 and provided with a counterweight 66. The movement of the tappet 6% upon its pivot is limited by a pin 67 playing between lower and upper stops 68 and 69 provided upon the latch 35. The pin 62 on the revolving head turns the latch idly down from the position at Fig. 2 to the position at Fig. 3; and since the tappet can turn no more about its pivot 65 during the continued downward movement of the pin 62, the latter cams both tappet 64 and latch 35 to the right from the position at Fig. 3 to that at Fig. 6, and the roll 61 runs oif from the shoulder 60, and the arms 28 and 55 col lapse under the tension of the springs 3d and 59, which cause them to resume their normal positions, releasing the pawls 51 and 51 and locking the head 48 against turning as at Fig. 5.

The arm 55 may operate any suitable mechanism as 7O, to strike a bell 71, as set forth in said specification.

The cam 33 is in the form of a separate plate adjustably secured by screws 72 to the end of the arm 28, the shank of said screws passing through slots 7 3, to permit the cam to be adjusted to the left or right. This provides convenient means for assuring that the arm 9 shall always be swung sufficiently to cause the bar 1 to lock the keys 1; while by adjusting the cam 33 toward the right, danger of binding or stiif action of the parts may be avoided.

Upon inserting a coin and turning the finger-piece 13 to the right,the levers 18 and 21 are swung together, and the link 26 is depressed, thus forcing down the arm 28 and permitting the latch 35 to swing to the left from the position at Fig. 5 to that at Figs. 1 and 3, thus locking down the arm 28 and locking up the auxiliary arm 55. The latch 35 is moved by gravity to the position at Fig. 3; and its motion is arrested by a stop 74 adjacent to the shoulder 60. The pawls 51 and 51 swing into engagement with the rotating ratchet 52 of the clockwork, and the head 18 is slowly revolved.

In half an hour, it completes half a revolution, and a pin 62 (diametrically opposite from the pin 62) engages the tappet 64 to swing aside the latch 35 to cause arms 28 and 55 to collapse, again releasing the head 18 from the clockwork, and re-locking the head against rotation. On the downward movement of the arm 28, the wrist 31 is permitted by the cam 33 to turn to the right, thereby permitting the bar 4 to release the typewriter keys 1. Upon the upward movement of the arm 28, the cam 33 forces the wrist 31 to the left, thereby re-locking the typewriter keys.

Variations may be resorted to within the scope of the invention, and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. The combination of a clockwork, a rotatable head or device, and manually controlled mechanism to connect said head to said clockwork to be rotated thereby, said manually controlled mechanism including both a head-releasing member and a latch to retain said releasing member in ineffective position; said head having means to trip said latch, to render said releasing member effective.

2. The combination of a clockwork, a rotatable head or device, and manually controlled mechanism to connect said head to said clockwork to be rotated thereby, said manually controlled mechanism including both a head-releasing member and a latch to retain said releasing member in ineffective position; said head having means to trip said latch, to render said releasing member elfective; means being provided to lock said head against rotation when it is discon' nected from the clockwork.

3. The combination of a clockwork, a rotatable head or device, and manually controlled mechanism to connect said head to said clockwork to be rotated thereby, said manually controlled mechanism including both a head releasing member and a latch to retain said releasing member in ineffective position; said head having means to trip said latch, to render said releasing member effective, a manually operable machine, a movable device normally preventing manipulation of said machine, and means for causing said movable device to move to ineffective position simultaneously with the connection of the head of the clockwork.

4. The combination of a clockwork, a rotatable head, a clutch to connect the rotatable head to the clockwork, a spring to close said clutch, an arm having means to open said clutch to release the head from the clockwork, manually operable means to cause said arm to permit the clutch to close and enable the clockwork to turn the head, a latch to hold said arm out of efiective position, a spring tending to return said arm to eifective position, and means upon said head to trip said latch to permit said arm to unclutch the head from the clockwork.

5. The combination of a clockwork, a rotatable head, a clutch to connect the rotatable head to the clockwork, a spring to close said clutch, an arm having means to open said clutch to release the head from the clockwork, and to lock said head against rotation, manually operable means to cause said arm to permit the clutch to close and enable the clockwork to turn the head, a latch to hold said arm out of effective position, a spring tending to return said arm to eifective position, and means upon said head to trip said latch to permit said arm to unclutch the head from the clockwork and to lock said head against rotation.

6. The combination of a clockwork, a rotatable head, a clutch to connect the rotatable head to the clockwork, a spring to close said clutch, an arm having means to open said clutch to release the head from the clockwork, manually operable means to cause said arm to permit the clutch to close and enable the clockwork to turn the head, a latch to hold said arm out of effective posi tion, a spring tending to return said arm to effective position, means upon said head to trip said latch to permit said arm to unclutch the head from the clockwork, a manually operable machine, and a movable device normally preventing manipulation of the machine and connected to said arm to move to ineffective position when said clutch is closed.

7. The combination of a clockwork having a ratchet, said ratchet having an axis of rotation, a head to turn about the axis of rotation of the ratchet, a pawl pivoted on the head to engage the ratchet and enable the latter to turn the head, an arm having means to release the pawl from the ratchet, means to withdraw the releasing arm from the pawl, a latch to hold the releasing arm away from the pawl, and means upon said head to trip said latch, to permit said arm to release the pawl.

S. The combination of a clockwork having a ratchet, said ratchet having an axis of rotation, a head to turn about the axis of rotation of the ratchet, a pawl pivoted on the head to engage the ratchet and enable the latter to turn the head, an arm having means to release the pawl from the ratchet, means to withdraw the releasing arm from the pawl, a latch to hold the releasing arm away from the pawl, means upon said head to trip said latch, to permit said arm to release the pawl, a manipulable machine, and a movable device normally preventing manipulation of the machine and connected to said releasing arm to move to ineiiective position when said arm is withdrawn from said pawl.

9. The combination of a clockwork having a ratchet, said ratchet having an axis of rotation, a head toturn about the axis of rotation of the ratchet, a pawl pivoted on the head to engage the ratchet and enable the latter to turn the head, an arm having means to release the pawl from the ratchetand to lock said head against rotation, means to withdraw the releasing arm from the pawl, a latch to hold the releasing arm away from the pawl, and means upon said head to trip said latch, to permit said arm to release the pawl and lock said head.

10. The combination of a clockwork having a ratchet, said ratchet having an axis of rotation, a head to turn about the axis of rotation of the ratchet, a pawl pivoted on the head to engage the ratchet and enable the latter to turn the head, an arm having means to release the pawl from the ratchet and to lock said head against rotation, means to withdraw the releasing arm from the pawl, a latch to hold the releasing arm away from the pawl, means upon said head to trip said latch, to permit said arm to release the pawl and lock said head, a manipulable machine, and a movable device normally preventing manipulation of the machine and connected to said releasing arm to move to inefiective position when said arm is withdrawn from said pawl.

11. The combination of a clockwork, a rotatable head, a clutch connecting the clockwork to the head to rotate the latter, an arm to control said clutch, a manually operable device to move said arm to effect the closing of said clutch, a spring tending to move said arm to open said clutch, a latch connected to said manually operable device and movable to a position to lock said arm against actuation by said spring, and means upon said head to trip said latch to release said arm.

12. The combination of a clockwork, a rotatable head, a clutch connecting the clockwork to the head to rotate the latter, an arm to control said clutch, a manually operable device to move said arm to cause the closing of said clutch, a spring tending to move said arm to open said clutch, a latch movable by said manually operable device to a position to lock said arm against actuation by said spring, and a series of projections provided on said head to trip said latch sem'atim.

13. The combination of a clockwork, a rotatable head, a clutch connecting the clockwork to the head to rotate the latter, an arm to control said clutch, a manually operable device to move said arm to cause the closing of said clutch, a spring tending to move said arm to open said clutch, a latch movable by said manually operable device to a position to lock said arm against actuation by said spring, means upon said head to trip said latch to release said arm, a machine, and means normally preventing manipulation of said machine and connected to move to ineffective position at the clutch-closing operation.

14. The combination of a clockwork, a rotatable head, a clutch connecting the clockwork to the head to rotate the latter, an arm to control said clutch, a manually operable device to move said arm to cause the closing of said clutch, a spring tending to move said arm to open said clutch, a latch movable by said manually operable device to a position to lock said arm against actuation by said spring, and a series of projections provided on said head to trip said latch seriatz'm; a detent being provided to engage said head at each latch-tripping movement and lock it against turning while unclutched from the clockwork; a machine, and means normally preventing manipulation of said machine and connected to move to ineffective position at the clutch-closing operation.

15. The combination with a clockwork having a ratchet wheel having an axis of rotation, of a head to turn about the axis of rotation of the ratchet wheel, a pawl on said head to engage the ratchet wheel to turn said head, a pair of arms mounted upon the framework to engage said pawl at either of two successive points in the travel of the ratchet wheel, means connecting said arms to cause them to move together, means tending to move said arms to release the pawl, a latch to hold said arms away from the pawl, and a plurality of projections upon said head to trip said latch sem'rttz'm.

16. The combination with a clockwork having a ratchet wheel having an axis of rotation, of a head to turn about the axis of rotation of the ratchet wheel, a pawl on said head to engage the ratchet wheel to turn said head, a pair of arms mounted upon the framework to engage said pawl at either of two successive points in the travel of the ratchet wheel, means connecting said arms to cause them to move together, means tending to move said arms to release the pawl, a latch to hold said arms away from the pawl, and a plurality of projections upon said head to trip said latch seriati-m; said latch pivoted upon one of said arms; and a shoulder provided upon the other of said arms to be engaged by said latch.

17. The combination of a clockwork, a rotatable head, releasable means to connect said head to said clockwork, an arm, a spring or means tending to move said arm in a direction to release said head from said clockwork, a manually operable device for setting said arm in the opposite direction, a latch to detain said arm when so set, and a tappet, to enable the head, when driven by the clockwork, to trip the latch; said tappet having a yielding construction to permit said arm to beset back and latched.

18. The combination with a clockwork having a ratchet wheel having an axis of rotation, of a head to turn about the axis of rotation of the ratchet wheel, a pawl pivoted on said head to engage the ratchet wheel to turn said head, a pair of arms mounted upon the framework to engage said pawl at eitherof two points in the travel of the ratchet wheel, means connecting said arms to cause them to move together, means tending to move said arms to release the pawl, a latch to hold said arms away from the pawl, a tappet on said arm, and a plurality of projections upon said head to engage said tappet sci'c'atz'm to trip the latch; the tappet having a yielding construction to permit the arms to be reset and latched.

19. The combination of a clockwork, a rotatable head, means to clutch said head to said clockwork, a manually operable arm or member to control said clutch, a spring or means tending to move said arm in a direction to release the clutch, means independent of said rotatable head for restraining said arm, and means dependent upon the rotation of the head for releasing said arm to enable it to open the clutch.

20. The combination of a clockwork, a rotatable head, means to clutch said head to said clockwork, a manually operable arm or member to control said clutch, a spring or means tending to move said arm in a direction to release the clutch, means independent of said rotatable head for restraining said arm, and means dependent upon the rotation of the head for releasing said arm to enable it to open the clutch; said arm having means to lock the head against rotation when the head is unclutchcd from the clockwork.

21. The combination with a clockwork, of a wheel or part, a clutch between the wheel and the clockwork, an arm to control said clutch, means tending to move said arm to open the clutch, means to restrain said arm, means being also provided dependent upon the revolution of the wheel for releasing said arm to enable it to open the clutch; a manipulable machine, a movable device normally preventing manipulation of said machine, and means to enable said arm at the clutch-opening operation to set said movable device to effective position, including a part which is adjustable to control the extent of movement imparted to said movable device by said arm.

22. The combination with a manipulable machine, a movable device normally preventing manipulation of said machine, manually operable means to move said movable device to ineffective position, a latch to hold it there, a support for said latch, a clockwork, and a revolving member connected to said clockwork and having means to trip said latch from said support.

23. The combination of a manipulable machine, a movable device normally preventing manipulation of said machine, a manually operable arm having means to set said movable device to ineffective position, a spring tending to return said arm, a latch to restrain said arm, a support for said latch, a clockwork, and a revolving member connected to said clockwork and having means to trip said latch from said support, to permit said arm to restore said movable device and render said manipulable machine inoperable.

CHARLES DE LOS RICE. LYMAN D. BROUGHTON. WVitnesses M. BYORKMAN, MORTON O. TALCOTT. 

